Apparatus for sizing cartons or the like



Oct. 3, 1967 I H. wfs'cHoLLAao 3,344,718

APPARATUS FOR SIZING CARTONS OR THE LIKE v Filed Feb. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG; 2

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INVENTOR.

HARRY W. SCHOLLARD ATTORNEYS Oct. 3, 1967 w. SCHOLLARD 4,

APPARATUS FOR SIZING CARTONS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VE NTOR.

HARRY w. SCHQLLARD BY M,MWM

. A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,344,718 APPARATUS FOR SIZING CARTONS OR THE LIKE Harry W. Schollard, 416 N. State St., St. Ignace, Mich. 49781 Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,429 Claims. (CI. 93-58) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Carton sizing apparatus comprising an elongated, rotatable mandrel journaled on a support to which is pivoted a bracket on which is mounted a shaft that journals in axially spaced relation a scoring wheel and a cutting wheel that are adapted to score and cut, respectively, the wall of a carton. The bracket is swin'gable relatively to the mandrel so as to move the cutting and scoring wheels toward and away from the mandrel, and a clamp member reacts between the support and the bracket to clamp the latter in such position as to enable the cutting and scoring wheels to engage the carton wall.

This invention relates to apparatus for sizing cartons or boxes and more particularly to apparatus which is especially adapted for reducing the size of cardboard or corrugated containers.

Cardboard or corrugated cartons conventionally are manufactured in so-called standard sizes for purchase by those customers who do not wish to incur the expense of having custom made cartons manufactured for them. It rarely happens that a standard size carton is a perfect fit for the goods to be contained in it and, obviously, the cartons selected for such goods cannot be smaller than the goods to be contained therein. Accordingly, it is conventional practice for users of such cartons to purchase the next larger standard size and fill the unused space with packing of some kind. The use of packing is objectionable for several reasons. For example, the packing adds to the weight of the carton and the goods packed therein, thereby increasing the cost of shipment. Moreover, the packing frequently is of rather flimsy nature and exposes the goods to the risk of damage. Furthermore, the purchase of such packing is an expense which, over a period of time, can be substantial.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus which is capable of reducing the size of an oversize carton so as to enable it to fit more closely the size of the goods to be packed therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide carton sizing apparatus which is capable of either scoring or cutting a carton wall, or which is capable of both scoring and cutting the wall.

A further object of the invention is to provide carton sizing apparatus which is readily adjustable so as to accommodate cartons of various sizes and so as to be capable of resizing a carton to any one of a large number of different sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide carton sizing apparatus which is relatively inexpensive to manu- V facture, simple to operate, and rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will'be pointed out specifically or will become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the manner of use of the apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

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FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the disclosed embodiment of the invention comprises a support 1 comprising a hollow, semicylindrical sleeve 2 having end Walls 3 and 4 at its respective ends. Within the sleeve 2 is an elongated, cylindrical mandrel 5 having a spindle 6 at each of its ends which is rotatably journaled in the associated wall 3 and 4. Preferably, the end wall 4 is welded or otherwise suitably fixed to a base plate 7 on which may be mounted a plurality of ground engaging, castering wheel assemblies 8. To the opposite end wall 3 is welded or otherwise suitably fixed a mounting plate 9.

Pivotally mounted on the plate 9 by means of a pivot pin 10 is a bracket member 11 to which is welded or otherwise suitably fixed a pair of parallel, hollow sleeves 12 and 13. Slideably mounted in the sleeve 12 is an elongated, preferably cylindrical rod 14 on the lower end of which is journaled a wheel 15 having a scoring peripheral edge 16. The wheel 15 may be adjusted longitudinally of the mandrel 5 and be maintained in any selected position of adjustment by manipulation of a set screw 17 which is threadedly accommodated in the sleeve 12 for engagement with the rod 14.

Slideably received in the sleeve 13 is an elongated rod 18 to the lower end of which is fixed a yoke 19 having vertically spaced arms 20 and 21 through which the rod 14 slideably extends. Between the arms 20 and 21 is a wheel 22 having a sharpened peripheral cutting edge 23. Suitable bearings (not shown) journal the wheel 22 on the rod 14 for rotation and for relative sliding movement of the wheel 22 and the rod 14. Means is provided for adjusting the cutting wheel 22 relatively to the scoring wheel 15 and comprises a clamp 24 having a pair of openings therein for the accommodation of the rods 14 and 18, respectively. Set screws 25 and 26 engage the respective rods 14 and 18 so as selectively to permit and prevent adjustment of the rod 18 relative to the rod 14.

Locking means 27 is provided to enable and disable pivotal movement of the mounting plate 11 relative to the mounting plate 9 and comprises a lever 28 pivoted on the plate 9 by means of a pivot pin 29 and having a locking pawl 30 that is adapted to be accommodated in a notch 31 provided in the bracket plate 11.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is adapted for use with cardboard or corrugated con tainers 32 of rectangular or square configuration having parallel side walls 33 and 34 and opposed end walls 35. The side and end walls of such cartons are conventionally scored adjacent their upper ends along lines 36 and 37, respectively, to provide flaps 38 and 39 which may be folded inwardly to form a closure for the upper end of the carton. Should it be desired to reduce the size or height of the carton 32, the locking means 27 may be disengaged and the bracket 11, together with the rods 14 and 18, swung about the pivot pin 10 in a direction to move the wheels 15 and 22 away from the mandrel 5. The carton then may be positioned relatively to the sizing apparatus in such manner that one wall, such as the end wall 35, has its outer surface in engagement with the mandrel 5. The set screws 17 and 26 may be manipulated so as to position the wheels 15 and 22 at the desired levels, whereupon the bracket 11 may be swung in such direction as to cause the wheel 15 to bear against the inner surface of the wall 35 and to cause the wheel 22 to bear against the inner surface of the wall 35, but at a point spaced vertically above the wheel 15. In these positions of the parts, the lever 28 may be manipulated so as to cause the pawl 30 to engage the notch 31 and force the wheels 15 and 22 into clamping engagement wall 35 will be clamped between the mandrel and the wheels.

As is best shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the wheels 15 and 22 are of different diameters, the wheel 22 having the larger diameter and having a sharper edge than the wheel 15. Thus, when the respective wheels are clamped against the wall 35, the wheel 22 may cut through the wall 35, but the wheel 15 will merely score the wall.

With the wheels 15 and 22 clamped against the wall 35, the device 1 may be moved relatively to the carton in the direction of the arrow 12 (see FIGURE 2). Such movement is facilitated by the ability of the mandrel and the wheels to rotate. The scoring wheel 15 will form a score line 40 and the cutting wheel 22 will cut the wall 35 along the line 41. The apparatus 1 may be used to score and cut in succession each of the four walls of the carton, whereupon all material above the cut 41 may be removed. Thereafter, the juncture of each side wall and end wall may be slit to the score line 40 to form flaps 42 which may be folded inwardly to close the upper end of the resized carton.

In some instances it may be possible to dispense with cutting of the carton walls. In such instances, the cutting wheel 22 may be adjusted vertically in the manner previously described so as to prevent its engaging the walls of the carton. The wheel 15, however, willscore the walls so as to enable the flaps with which the carton originally was equipped to be enlarged and be refolded along lines located closer to the bottom of the carton.

The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred form of the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for sizing a carton having a wall, said apparatus comprising support means; a mandrel; means mounting said mandrel on said support means for engagement with one side of said Wall; scoring means; means journaling said scoring means on said support means for rotation and for clamping engagement with said wall on its opposite side directly opposite said mandrel; and cutting means journaled on said journaling means for cutting engagement with said opposite side of said wall in spaced relation to said scoring means;

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mandrel is rotatable.

3. Apparatus for sizing a carton having a wall, said apparatus comprising support means; an elongated rotatable mandrel; means mounting said mandrel on said support means for rotation about a first axis; rotatable scoring means; means journaling said scoring means on said support means for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to said first axis and movements toward opposite the mandrel. Inasmuch as the outer surface of the wall engages the mandrel, the

and away from said mandrel for clamping engagement with and disengagement from said wall on its opposite side directly opposite said mandrel; and rotatable cutting means supported by said journaling means in axially spaced relation to said scoring means for rotation about said second axis and for movements with said scoring means into and out of cutting engagement with said wall directly opposite said mandrel.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 including means for adjusting said cutting means and said scoring means relatively to each other and longitudinally of said mandrel.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 including lock means acting on said mounting means for releasably locking said scoring means and said cutting means in engagement with said Wall.

6. Apparatus for sizing a carton having a wall, said apparatus comprising support means; an elongated mandrel mounted on said support means for rotation about a first axis and for engagement with one side of said wall; a bracket member; a rotatable scoring member journaled on said bracket member for rotation about a second axis substantially parallel to said first axis; cutting means; means journaling said cutting means on said bracket member for rotation about said second axis; means pivotally mounting said bracket member on said support means for swinging movements of said scoring member and said cutting means toward and away from said mandrel for clamping engagement with and disengagement from said wall on its opposite side; and lock means reacting between said support means and said bracket member for releasably locking the latter in such position that said scoring member and said cutting means may clampingly engage said Wall.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 including means for adjusting said scoring member longitudinally of said mandrel.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein said cutting means and said scoring member are journaled in axially spaced relation.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 including means for adjusting said cutting means longitudinally of said mandrel.

. 10. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 including a wheeled base; and means mounting said support means on said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 246,892v 9/|1881 Marshall 83-482 263,983 8/1882 Spooner 83-482 3,126,798 3/1964 Fairchild 9355.1

BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR SIZING A CARTON HAVING A WALL, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS; A MANDREL; MEANS MOUNTING SAID MANDREL ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE SIDE OF SAID WALL; SCORING MEANS; MEANS JOURNALING SAID SCORING MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR ROTATION AND FOR CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID WALL ON ITS OPPOSITE SIDE DIRECTLY OPPOSITE SAID MANDREL; AND CUTTING MEANS JOURNALED ON SAID JOURNALING MEANS FOR CUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID WALL IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID SCORING MEANS. 